Even now, “the people of this generation”
(Lk. 7:31) despise and criticize Christians
who believe in and follow Jesus.
“And the Lord said, ‘To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep’” (Luke 7:31–32).
As I meditate on the words, I would like to receive the lessons that are given through this passage.
(1) As I began meditating on today’s main passage, Luke 7:31–32, I first looked to see where a similar passage is recorded. It is found in Matthew 11:16–17: “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, saying, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’”
(a) When comparing these two Scripture passages, we can see several small differences:
(i) First, Luke says, “To what shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?” (Lk. 7:31), whereas Matthew says only, “To what shall I compare this generation?” (Mt. 11:16).
(ii) Second, Luke says, “They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another” (Lk. 7:32), whereas Matthew says, “They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions” (Mt. 11:16).
(iii) Finally, third, Luke says, “We sang a dirge, and you did not weep” (Lk. 7:32), whereas Matthew says, “We sang a dirge, and you did not beat your breasts” (Mt. 11:17).
(2) Focusing on these three small differences, I would like to divide today’s passage, Luke 7:31–32, into three parts and meditate on the lessons given:
(a) First, Luke says, “To what shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?” (Lk. 7:31), whereas Matthew says only, “To what shall I compare this generation?” (Mt. 11:16). Why, then, did Jesus compare “the people of this generation” (or “this generation”)?
(i) When we look at the immediate context of Luke 7:31—namely verse 30—the reason is because of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who rejected the will of God (v. 30).
· In the case of Matthew 11:16, rather than only the immediate context, we see that the phrase “this generation” appears frequently throughout the Gospel of Matthew (12:41, 42, 45; 23:36, etc.). The term “this generation” is often used together with the denial of Jesus’ Messiahship or when Jesus rebukes the world. From this, we can see that the reason Jesus compared “the people of this generation” (or “this generation”) is because that generation rejected the salvation of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) (Ref.: Hochma).
- Therefore, Jesus said in Luke 17:25: “But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.”
(ii) As I meditated on “this generation,” I was led to meditate on Luke 11:31–32: “The Queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”
· Here, Jesus’ words that “at the judgment” the “Queen of the South” and the “men of Nineveh” will rise up and “condemn the people of this generation” point to the stubbornness of this generation, which refused to repent even after hearing the Word of God. This is a strong warning that they will be judged by the fact that even distant Gentiles and foolish people of the past showed greater wisdom and repentance. In other words, compared to the repentance and wisdom of Solomon’s time and the people of Nineveh, the Jews of that present time—who failed to recognize the Son of God, Jesus Christ, even though He came in person—would receive far greater rebuke (Internet).
- “Core Meaning Analysis:
The Queen of the South (the Queen of Sheba):
A Gentile who came to hear the wisdom of Solomon: She heard of the fame of Solomon’s wisdom and, without shrinking back from the arduous journey, came to him, posed difficult questions, sought wisdom, and acknowledged Solomon’s wisdom (1 Kgs. 10).
Reason for condemnation:
This criticizes the people of this generation for failing to recognize Jesus—who is the very source of God’s wisdom—even though He stood before them, and for not repenting, showing that they were worse than the Gentile queen who came seeking Solomon’s wisdom.
The people of Nineveh:
A Gentile nation that repented at the proclamation of the prophet Jonah: Upon hearing Jonah’s warning, from the king to the common people they fasted and repented, thus escaping God’s judgment (Jonah 3).
Reason for condemnation:
This points out that the people of this generation, who received God’s “sign” (Jonah), are more stubborn than the people of Nineveh—who repented at a single message from Jonah—and that they did not repent even though they encountered One greater than Jonah (Jesus).
The people of this generation:
The Jews of Jesus’ time: Jesus refers to those who were listening to His words, especially the Jews who had been waiting for the promises of the Old Testament.
Basis for condemnation:
Although they witnessed a greater “sign” than Solomon’s wisdom and the repentance of the Ninevites—namely, Jesus’ ministry and His very presence—they failed to understand. Therefore, it means that at the time of judgment they will receive a far more severe judgment than those people.
In summary, this passage is a warning that foretells God’s solemn judgment upon those who persist in stubborn unbelief despite the greater revelation and opportunity given through Jesus. It is a paradoxical expression showing that even the small measure of wisdom or repentance found among Gentiles was better than the unbelief of the people of this generation” (Internet).
(b) Second, Luke says, “They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another” (Lk. 7:32), whereas Matthew says, “They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to their companions” (Mt. 11:16). Why, then, did Jesus liken “the people of this generation” to “children sitting in the marketplace calling to one another (or to their companions)”?
(i) Jesus likened “this generation” to children in the marketplace in order to point out how worldly people constantly complain about and are dissatisfied with the message of the gospel (Jesus’ teaching). Like children who do not respond according to the game being played, they fail to listen to the voice of truth and instead feign indifference (Internet).
· Here, the original word for “marketplace,” ἀγοραῖς (agorais), originally referred to an “assembly,” but gradually came to mean “a place where people gather.” Rather than emphasizing a market where goods are bought and sold, it more strongly conveys the sense of a public place where people come and go and engage in conversation (Hochma).
- Furthermore, the reason Jesus mentioned “children” sitting in the marketplace when giving this parable is that He took note of the children’s inconsistency and contradiction—their inability to decide on a game they could play together because of each one’s complaints and fussiness (Lk. 7:31–35) (Hochma).
(c) Finally, third, Luke says, “We sang a dirge, and you did not weep” (Lk. 7:32), whereas Matthew says, “We sang a lament, and you did not beat your breasts” (Mt. 11:17). We must meditate on these words together with Jesus’ statement, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance” (v. 17; Lk. 7:32).
(i) Jesus described children who had gathered to play in the marketplace on a weekday when no commercial transactions were taking place. The children divided themselves into two groups and played wedding games and funeral games. In the wedding game, when one group played the flute, the other group danced to the melody. In the funeral game, when one group mimicked mourning by crying loudly and wailing, the other group responded by weeping and beating their chests in accordance with the mournful sound.
· However, Jesus spoke of a situation in which this play did not go well, because one group of children did not follow the actions of the other group. At that time, the children complained and blamed one another.
- In the same way, although they should have shared the same intent and heightened the joy of the play together, the Jews of that time—like children who refused to respond to either side—put forward their own self-righteousness and despised and criticized John the Baptist and Jesus.
n They criticized John the Baptist, who preached the baptism of repentance and proclaimed righteousness, calling him demon-possessed. And because Jesus associated with tax collectors and others regarded as sinners and helped them, they pushed Him as being one of the sinners (Hochma).
(3) Just as the Jews in Jesus’ time put forward their own self-righteousness and despised and criticized John the Baptist and Jesus, even now “the people of this generation” (Lk. 7:31) despise and criticize Christians who believe in and follow Jesus.
(a) “The people of this generation” despise and criticize true pastors who lovingly rebuke God’s people who are walking on crooked and sinful paths in order to turn them back from their sins.
(i) Nevertheless, the true pastors whom they despise and criticize proclaim the Word of God to God’s people and turn them back from evil ways and evil deeds (Jer. 23:22). True pastors proclaim God’s Word to church members who are trying to serve both God and money, saying, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Lk. 16:13), and they proclaim God’s Word, calling people to return to God (Jer. 4:1). Faithful pastors proclaim God’s Word to God’s children who are committing sin, saying: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isa. 55:7).
· And true pastors, with hearts of earnest longing, will offer this hymn of praise to God: (Verse 1) Come back, come back, you weary soul; the road is truly dark and very rough. (Verse 2) Come back, come back, to our Father who waits until the sun goes down. (Verse 3) Come back, come back, from places of affliction, from places of sin, and from places of deception. (Verse 4) Come back, come back, come home—to the Father’s house where everything is abundant. [Chorus] You who left home, come back quickly, come back quickly (Hymn “Come Back, Come Back”).
- And when one soul who left home returns to the bosom of God the Father like the prodigal son, the true shepherds will be those who, “seeing him while he was still a long way off, felt compassion and ran and embraced him” (Lk. 15:20). They rejoice and are glad over that soul who was lost and is found again (v. 32).
(b) At the same time, “the people of this generation” (Lk. 7:31) mislead the saints (Jer. 23:13), do not turn evildoers away from their sins but instead encourage and praise them (v. 14), and listen to and follow the words of false pastors who say to those who despise God and follow the stubbornness of their own hearts, “God has said, ‘You will have peace,’”
And, “No harm will come upon you” (v. 17).
(i) The false pastors whom they follow preach lies fabricated according to their own desires. Clearly, Scripture does not say such things, yet they arbitrarily interpret and explain God’s Word and preach it as they please. The Bible clearly says, “If anyone adds anything to the words of this prophecy, God will add to him the plagues described in this book” (Rev. 22:18), yet false pastors add to the sixty-six books of Scripture. Therefore, they mislead the saints. They lead God’s children onto wrong paths. As a result, many of God’s people are now going astray, each like lost sheep, following their own wrong paths (Isa. 53:6). Many of God’s people hold distorted perspectives (v. 2), distorted values (v. 3), and distorted thoughts (vv. 4–5), and thus engage in distorted behavior (v. 6). Consequently, they are growing farther and farther from God and are gradually forgetting Him (Jer. 23:27).
· False pastors, rather than turning church members who habitually commit sin away from their sins, instead encourage them through so-called blessing sermons and comforting sermons from the pulpit during Sunday worship, urging them to go back into the world and continue sinning. They never boldly proclaim God’s Word like Jesus and John the Baptist, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 3:2; 4:17). They do not rebuke God’s people because they do not truly love them (Rev. 3:19). They do not turn God’s children away from crooked and sinful paths.
(c) I would like to share the concluding portion of a meditation I wrote on July 18, 2018, centered on Ezekiel 2:5, under the title “We Must Know That There Are True Pastors Among Us.”
(i) “Nowadays, pastors are distressed and saddened because of other pastors. Even fellow co-workers in ministry become disappointed in one another. They even feel ashamed and disgraced because of each other. The reason is that through the media, the crimes of a small number of pastors are quickly and widely exposed. As a result, church members, after hearing such news, do not think well of those pastors who sinned against God—nor can they. Some church members even criticize and condemn them. At the same time, foolish believers prefer pastors who scratch their itching ears with pleasing sermons rather than pastors who faithfully proclaim God’s Word as it is. They prefer pastors who fear church members more than pastors who fear God. Thus, they like pastors who pursue their own will rather than God’s will, pastors who imitate this generation, disobey God’s Word, and are unfaithful to the Lord. Even in such circumstances, wise believers know that there are true pastors among them. The true pastor, as they understand it, is one who proclaims God’s Word as it is, who does not fear people, and who is not rebellious. We have entered an age that longs for such true pastors.”